Lung recruitment with high frequency ventilation versus volume targeted ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is one of the most common causes of premature infant respiratory failure. Recently, many techniques for optimizing fetal-neonatal transition and promoting lung recruitment have been accessible. To compare the effect of lung recruitment using high frequency ventilation versus volume targeted ventilation on duration of intubation as well as its effect on lung inflammation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome. Forty preterm infants with RDS were randomly assigned to Group A (LRM with HFOV, n=20) or Group B (LRM with VTV/AC, n=20). TGF-β1 levels measured in BAL samples at two time points. Both groups showed no significant difference in rate of prematurity complications nor delta change of TFG-<italic>β</italic>₁level in tracheal aspirate of those preterm infants measured before lung recruitment and five days after recruitment or at extubation. Conclusions: Lung recruitment maneuver was not associated with significant difference between both groups of preterm infants. The results obtained from our study, being the first of its kind to compare the effect of lung recruitment, provide a promising research area for further investigations.